This invention pertains to primer valves for dispensing small amounts of water from time to time to sewer line drain traps as required to keep them full and operative.
As is well known, the water in sewer line drain traps evaporates with time. Accordingly the traps may become non-functional, allowing sewer gas to enter the building in which the drain is housed. For this reason most municipal plumbing and sanitary codes require that means be provided for supplying priming water automatically to each sewer line water trap. This ensures that the trap will be operative at all times.
Prior art of interest relating to valves of the class useful in this application includes the following:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Inventor Title ______________________________________ 208,379 Downey, B. J. Vacuum Valve for Stench Traps 1,066,960 Twyford, T. W. Flushing Valve 2,044,443 Ott, O. W. Means for Preventing Siphonic Action 2,060,567 Glenk, A. W. Automatic Beverage Valve 2,893,481 Szydlowski, J. System for Supplying Fuel for Turbojet Engines 3,093,153 Horowitz, C. Quick Release Valve 3,196,890 Brandenberg, Double Acting Check Valve K. A. 3,333,597 Sullivan, R. N. Automatic Primer Valve for Drain Traps 3,370,543 Phillips, C. F. Combined Pulsator Dome and Check Valve Assembly 3,375,839 Crenshaw, W. F. Breathing Oxygen Mask Inhala- tion and Exhalation Diaphragm Valve Unit 3,776,269 Watts, James B. Priming Unit for Distributing Priming Water to Multiple Sewer Line Water Traps 3,580,273 Schwarz, Ernest I. Two Way Check Valve 3,704,857 Clarige, George Water Flow Silencing Means Henry 3,868,962 Waterson, Back Flow Preventor William 3,905,386 Rachocki, Eugene Valve 3,937,242 Eckert, Konrad Pressure Control Device for Controlling the Flow of a Fluid Medium 3,985,836 Fischer, Earl R. Altitude Compensated Carbu- retor Float Valve 4,013,089 Braukmann, Heinz Back Flow Preventer Valve Werner ______________________________________
My prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,333,597 describes a primer valve for sewer line drain traps which is automatic in operation and overcomes two of the principal objections to conventional primer valves: the necessity of using calibrated metal springs which fail with use and the requirement that the primer valve be installed directly in a supply pipe which may be remote from the drain line to be primed.
However, neither this patent, nor any of the patents cited above, provide an automatic primer valve for sewer line drain traps which is self contained in a compact package; which may be installed in a small branch line; which is positive in its action; which accurately controls the amount of water dispensed to within small limits; and which contains no internal parts which are subject to excessive water corrosion and hence to failure with time.
It is the purpose of the present invention to provide an automatic primer valve for sewer line drain traps, including sumps and catch basins, having these advantages.
Generally stated, the primer valve assembly of my invention comprises an upright hollow case having at its upper end a water inlet communicating with the house water line and at its lower end a water outlet communicating with the trap. A ported partition divides the case interior into an upper, valve-actuating, trapped air chamber and a lower chamber.
A diaphragm divides the lower chamber into an upper water supply chamber and a lower water dispensing chamber. A valve seat on the water outlet is arranged in valve-former relation to the diaphragm. A check valve is seated in the partition port and arranged to check the flow of water from the valve-actuating chamber to the water supply chamber. A conduit interconnects the water inlet and the water supply chamber. A passageway for water is present between the valve-actuating chamber and the water-dispensing chamber.
In its use, all three chambers in the first instance are under the same pressure from the house line. When the pressure in the house line diminishes, as it does when a tap is opened, the trapped air valve actuating chamber transmits pressure to the diaphragm. This opens the valve, permitting the passage of a small amount of water from the dispensing chamber into the trap. As soon as this has been accomplished, the pressure in the chambers again is equalized, and the valve closes in readiness for another actuation.